# Racing Counter Clockwise **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 17, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552 "2014-02-17T18:21:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/1 "2014-02-17T18:21:44Z")
IME Track and Field =\> Athletes run counterclockwise Speed Skating =\> Counterclockwise Nascar =\> CounterClockwise Indy Cars =\> Counterclockwise Horseracing =\> Counterclockwise Dog Racing =\> Counterclockwise 24 years ago the [MASTERS SPEAKS](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1001/why-are-races-always-run-in-a-counterclockwise-direction) on the topic. The auto racing explanation seems to make sense, but they were racing horses long before auto racing. I have never seen a major race conducted on a track in a counterclockwise direction. Is there any? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/2 "2014-02-17T18:31:08Z")
Some races are on a figure-8 track, where there isn’t a distinct clockwise or counterclockwise. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/3 "2014-02-17T18:35:01Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > I have never seen a major race conducted on a track in a counterclockwise direction. Is there any? I think you just named six. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/4 "2014-02-17T18:38:30Z")
> [@armedmonkey](#): > > I think you just named six. :smack: I picked the wrong to give sniffing glue. Should have said CLOCKWISE. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/5 "2014-02-17T22:20:25Z")
Actually, NASCAR races clockwise on its two road courses. Also, Formula 1 races are clockwise. ---
**Author:** ![Ambihelical\_Hexnut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@Ambihelical\_Hexnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambihelical_Hexnut)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/6 "2014-02-17T22:36:21Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Also, Formula 1 races are clockwise. Not always. Of the 19 races scheduled for the 2014 F1 season, 14 will be run clockwise, 4 will be run counter-clockwise, and one will be run on a figure-of-8 track. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/7 "2014-02-17T22:39:04Z")
NHRA dragsters never race clockwise or counterclockwise, unless someone’s tire explodes. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/91b2a8/32.png) [@Lord\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/8 "2014-02-18T00:21:21Z")
Can’t speak for the US, but in Australia not all horse racing is anti-clockwise. Victoria is, but New South Wales is clockwise. Not sure about the other Australian states. Edited to add: Funnily enough our biggest car race, the Bathurst 1000, is anti-clockwise even though the cars are right hand drive. If they slide off the track it’s the driver’s side that hits the wall. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/racing-counter-clockwise/681552/9 "2014-02-18T04:28:48Z")
A PE teacher of mine once asked this during a track lesson. I mumbled, “the Coriolis Effect.” “What?” “The Coriolis Effect. If we were running in the Southern Hemisphere we’d go the other way.” He backed away slowly, then pointedly avoided me the rest of the semester.